When Tom Brady runs out from the tunnel, screaming "Let's Go!" and leading the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers onto the field Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys, a full stadium will greet players for the first time since COVID-19 upended the world and changed the way sports were viewed.
The Cowboys take the field without offensive lineman Zack Martin because he's still on the team's COVID-19 list, even though he's fully vaccinated.
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot expects COVID-19 issues to linger deep into the season ahead.
"First things first, you got to protect yourself. You got to wear your mask, you got to make sure you're going through all the protocols, you got to you know make sure you're not putting yourself in any vulnerable situations," said Elliott. "And then two, you just got to be ready for anything, be ready for the inevitable. We got to be ready mentally to know that maybe this week we might have a guy, next week we might not have him. So we just got to prepare ourselves for that."
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The league hasn't mandated vaccines for players but strongly encouraged it with strict protocols for those who don't get the shot. Entering the season opener, 93.5% percent of players are vaccinated. Seventeen teams are above 95%, with the Buccaneers and Falcons at 100%.
Unvaccinated players are tested daily and must follow rigid protocols. Fully vaccinated players are being tested weekly instead of every 14 days, as they were during training camp. The NFL Players Association wants daily COVID-19 testing for fully vaccinated players but the league isn't requiring it yet.
And there are different rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated players who test positive for COVID-19. Players who are vaccinated and get coronavirus can return to the team in as little as 48 hours with two negative tests. Unvaccinated players who test positive must sit out a minimum of 10 days in isolation before returning.
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Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones tells NBC 5 all but three Cowboys players have been fully vaccinated.
A Return to Full Stadiums
The NFL kicks off its biggest season -- teams are playing a 17-game schedule -- in front of packed crowds as the league follows the NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA and others in opening its doors with no capacity limitations.
While there were no restrictions in the preseason, stadiums weren't completely filled as many fans skip exhibition games. That won't be the case at Raymond James Stadium with more than 65,000 fans expected to see the Buccaneers celebrate their championship before beginning defense of their crown.
Fans return, however, as COVID-19 surges, with about 150,000 news cases daily. The delta variant is filling hospitals, children are getting sick, and some schools are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks. The U.S. death toll stands at more than 650,000, with one major forecast model projecting it will top 750,000 by Dec. 1 -- deep into the NFL season.
"We and our clubs are in daily and regular conversations with local and state authorities, but as we sit here right now, we don't anticipate any reduction in capacity this year," Peter O'Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business and events, said in the league's last briefing. "We really feel good about where we stand, given the vaccination rates across the country, and feel as though we will be able to move through the season. Obviously, we don't take anything for granted; we work closely on all of our protocols, working with and under the guidance of those state and local authorities. As we sit here today, all 30 stadiums are able to be at full capacity and that's how we expect to go through the season in lockstep with those local and state authorities."
NFL teams can have different stadium policies and protocols. The Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints are requiring fans to provide proof of vaccination to enter. Other teams may join them along the way.
College football's first full weekend included some stadiums filled to capacity -- more fans than will attend most NFL games.
"While people are still getting sick, people aren't dying at the same rate, according to the statistics. That's the key," said Dr. Rand McLain, chief medical officer of LCR Health. "You go back to where it started, hospitals were loading up and an inordinate amount of people were dying. We're past that now at least at this time, though we have the delta variant and the mu variant beating the vaccines. From there, being outside is a huge plus. You're not seeing the transmission when there's a breeze blowing."
The Buccaneers have relaxed several protocols. Fans will not be temperature screened and masks are not required, but are encouraged for indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.
The Tampa Sports Authority is continuing with enhanced cleaning and disinfection of high-traffic areas. All restrooms have been retrofitted with touchless fixtures and all concession stands will have plexiglass dividers, with staff wearing masks. All parking lots and concessions will continue to be a completely cashless this season.
"As we have stated all along, our top priority has been, and continues to be, the safety of all players, coaches, staff and fans at our games," said Buccaneers chief operating officer Brian Ford.
A Florida judge ruled Wednesday that the state cannot enforce a ban on public schools mandating the use of masks to guard against the coronavirus, while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is ultimately legal.
